Jeremy Paxman has taken to task Ukip leadership candidate Suzanne Evans after she said she agreed that child asylum seekers wanting to come to Britain should undergo physical checks to ensure they are genuinely children.

During ITV's The Agenda programme, the former Newsnight presenter asked her: "Do you have no compassion?"

But Ms Evans hit back: "Of course I have compassion. How dare you accuse me of not having any compassion. Just because I can see a system is being abused here.

If we didn't have such uncontrolled immigration perhaps we could take more. How dare we bring in people who are really not the people in most needSuzanne Evans

"I suggest that we take children that we know are genuinely children from refugee camps from war torn areas where they desperately need our help – not so-called children who have travelled through five safe countries and are already in a safe country and have decided for whatever reason they want to come to Britain."

The Home Office has ruled out calls for dental checks to verify the age of Calais migrants arriving in Britain because they are deemed "inaccurate, inappropriate and unethical".

Ms Evans told the programme: "We have children in this country who are languishing in children's homes who can't find foster homes who can't find adoptive parents – they are there having their lives destroyed and we are taking in grown men from the Jungle.

"I think that's absolutely wrong and I think as a matter of principle – I know its very difficult to check someone's age – but we had a vote in parliament of the Dubs agreement to bring in child refugees from the Jungle and they did not vote to bring in men who are clearly not children who need to buy razors and shave.

"And I think the British people are really angry about that. We are a compassionate nation and we want to help kids.

"If we didn't have such uncontrolled immigration perhaps we could take more.

"How dare we bring in people who are really not the people in most need."

Nicky Morgan, the former Education Secretary, described her stance as "shameful".

But the Ukip leadership hopeful responded: "If you would be happy to have some of those men in a classroom with young children then shame on you frankly."

The comments came as work continued to demolish the Calais 'jungle' which has become home for many child migrants.